Flexible brush.



Patented. July 3, 1917.

`from/Erf EDWARD B. GATES, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY.

FLEXIBLE BRUSH.

rasante.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD B. OATns, a citizen of the United States, -residing at Paterson, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible Brushes, of which the following is a specification.

The usual form of bath brush or the like implement for rubbing or massaging the back includes a stiif rubbing member proper and a long handle which vthe user manipulates with one hand. It is an unsatisfactory implement because it is difiicult to reach every part of the back withit, and in addition it has no practical 4value whatever as an exercising means. The object of this invention is to provide a rubbing implement whereby every part of the back can be reached with equal facility and with equal effectiveness and which will also shape itself more or less to the contour of the back or any part of the` body to be rubbed, besides incidentally serving to bring into activityY all those muscles which are involved when both arms are used to draw something flex ible, for instance, a towel, back and forth and under tension over a part of the body.

My invention consists in a flexible band or strap having a roughened surface for application against the back or other part of the human body and also having handles, one at each end.,

My invention has been shown in three forms, by way of example, in the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form;

Fig. 2 an enlarged fragmentary sectional` view of said form;

Fig. 3 a fragmentary perspective view of another form; y

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View of the latter form; and, y

Fig. 5 illustrates the third form.

Referring, first, to Figs. 1 and 2, the flexible band or strap in this case includes these elements, a body strip a, a reinforcing strip A) and bristle tufts c, together with handles (Z. The bristle tufts are preferably short or stubby and are secured in the body strip a in holes e therein in any manner `known to the brush makers9 art. The reinforcing strip Z is herein shown as'stitched Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented duly 3, Mult..

I Application led October 1 1, 1916. Serial No. 124,930.

are passed around the bar and stitched.

down as shown in Fig. V2. This type of handle preserves the strap or band extended at its end portions, although it .does not prevent the strap or band for substantially its full length from shaping itself transversely, as' well as longitudinally, to the concavities and convexities of the surface being rubbed.

In Figs. 3 and 4 the strap or band comprises two elements, a rubbing strip f and a reinforcing strip `g formed at its ends with extension-handles it. The strap or band now being described is designed with special reference to its being sanitary, that is, being capable of being readily cleansed, and to this end, the element f consists of a strip of rubber having integral rubber bristles 7 upstanding thereon; the strip f is shorter than the strip g by the combined lengths of the two handles, and it is stitched to the strip g as shown in Fig. 3, or otherwise secured substantially continuously lengthwise thereof. In this case the reinforce assumes all the strain incident to' tension, being preferably composed of duck or other relatively non-stretching material, so that the stretching character of the strip f does not come into play to cause said strip f to curl transversely or otherwise assume such form that the bristles will not remain in contact with the part being rubbed for substantially the whole breadth of said strip.

In Fig. 5 a rubbing strip 7L is shown having small cavities or recesses c' therein which, in e'ect, give the surface of the strip a roughened character when in use.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by -Letters Patent is Miti 2. An implement for use substantially as the rubber strip face to face therewith subdescribed consisting of a flexible band or stantially continuously lengthwise vthereo strap and including a lat ilexible rubber and composed of relatively non-stretchable 10 strip havinga rough surface for application material and having handles at its ends.

5 against the back or other part of the human In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

body and also including a flat reinforcing f non-stretching strip secured to the back of EDWARD B. GATES. 

